 Boston Symphony Orchestra (1985) [ larger cover art ] |
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| vocaleer (Radio Inferno, PA) | Posted: Jun 29, 2012 - 14:54 And another thing... Radiolab had a interesting take on Bolero in this recent podcast <http://wny.cc/MGTw3i> |
| vocaleer (Radio Inferno, PA) | Posted: Jun 29, 2012 - 14:47 Thank you, RP! Previous to this being played, I had a minor meltdown. This is exactly the perfect music to purge my head! |
| tovarisch (Calgary) | Posted: Mar 20, 2012 - 20:24 nate917 wrote: I wonder if anyone remembers Torvill and Dean ice dancing to this song on their way to an Olympic gold medal. Breathtaking. Here's some trivia about this song. First, a bolero is a dance, like a waltz or a mazurka. Lots of composers wrote boleros; this just happens to be the most famous. So if you want to sound like you know what you're talking about, you refer not just to "Bolero" but to "Ravel's Bolero." Second, my understanding is that Ravel wrote this as a study in how to make a song build up to a climax. Each round is supposed to build on the one before. Yes, it is repetitious, but it's supposed to be. As Ravel himself said (complaining of Toscanini's treatment of it), "the Bolero should be played in one single tempo from the beginning to the end, in the plaintive and monotonous style of Spanish-Arabian melodies." Each go-round, however, something is added that makes it bigger, louder, fuller, more complex, more percussive, etc. By round 18, it's huge, loud, and bawdy, with (as someone below noted) elephantine horns blaring away. OK, sorry to be a music nerd. Now let's play White Punks on Dope or something. 1. Yes I do...... for some reason 2. I know how to do that dance.... for some reason 3. I think your understanding is complete.... 4. White Punks on Dope would be perfect to follow this and only because Bill G could do some other worldly transition and make it work... Good call Nate. |
| calypsus_1 | Posted: Oct 04, 2008 - 00:06 no comment - 10. |
| nate917 (2,815 miles from home) | Posted: Jul 21, 2008 - 15:00 I wonder if anyone remembers Torvill and Dean ice dancing to this song on their way to an Olympic gold medal. Breathtaking. Here's some trivia about this song. First, a bolero is a dance, like a waltz or a mazurka. Lots of composers wrote boleros; this just happens to be the most famous. So if you want to sound like you know what you're talking about, you refer not just to "Bolero" but to "Ravel's Bolero." Second, my understanding is that Ravel wrote this as a study in how to make a song build up to a climax. Each round is supposed to build on the one before. Yes, it is repetitious, but it's supposed to be. As Ravel himself said (complaining of Toscanini's treatment of it), "the Bolero should be played in one single tempo from the beginning to the end, in the plaintive and monotonous style of Spanish-Arabian melodies." Each go-round, however, something is added that makes it bigger, louder, fuller, more complex, more percussive, etc. By round 18, it's huge, loud, and bawdy, with (as someone below noted) elephantine horns blaring away. OK, sorry to be a music nerd. Now let's play White Punks on Dope or something. |
| Deadwing (Cincinnati OH) | Posted: Sep 09, 2007 - 05:49 As far as classical music goes this piece is very simple. I'm sure Prokofiev would push Ravel's ass down on the playground and give him an atomic wedgie for writing it. It's still a hell of a catchy piece of music though  |
| 2Hawks (Living in Theory -- where everything works) | Posted: Sep 09, 2007 - 04:27 I discovered this piece of music entirely on my own, years after loving rock n roll. I have loved Bolero ever since. It becomes an exercise in imagination, following the music like following a parade, with the best parts still on the way, preparing your ears for the final dissonant horns at the crescendo. That coda is the elephants; ponderous, impressive, and beautiful.  |
| Poacher | Posted: Sep 09, 2007 - 04:17 A solid 3. Why? While a fine piece of music. . . is this not an 'eclectic rock radio'? You can't even air guitar to it!  |
| kcar | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:11 teo wrote: Like eating too much icecream.
Too long. Emperor Joseph II: "My dear young man, don't take it too hard. Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect." Mozart: "Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?" ("Amadeus", 1984. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/quotes) |
| shakitten | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:08 My father was a strange one...in my later adult years, he would mention to me that he thought this was a tremendously sexual and sensual piece, something he would love to have playing in the background while he was "getting it on". I realized that there are some secrets kids should never know about their parents. Since then, whenever I hear this piece I always think of him. I gotta admit, this would not be the first thing (or second, or third, etc.) that I would put on to get me "into the mood" (especially with the memory of Dad...eekkk!). The thrill is gone when you feel like the act is nothing more than your citizen's duty to go out and service the whole freakin' Spanish Army. And I agree with other commentors...it's too damn long. |
| RobRyan (Canyon Country, CA) | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:06 Sorry. I've always found this to be a boring piece. I've had "experts" explain why it's so wonderful, but I just am not at all moved by it. I've seen it performed in concert multiple times and that didn't help either. 3. |
| stevesaw (Northern VA USA) | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:06 Allegro Non Tropo |
| FluorideFreeMN (Central Minnesota) | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:05 teo wrote: Too long.
yeah |
| godspeed (maui) | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:05 will always remind me of bo derek...godspeed wrote: Wow! |
| schuberte | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:04 Anyone who can't appreciate Ravel's Bolero is dead inside. Thanks for playing, awesome! What other radio station would play this two songs after Cocteau Twins. I love it. xxxxxx |
| mike147 (NY) | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:04 wow...make it stop. |
| godspeed (maui) | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 18:04 Wow! |
| master_betty | Posted: Aug 08, 2007 - 17:54 Like eating too much icecream. Too long. |
| Servo | Posted: Jul 08, 2007 - 05:27 Is it just me, or does this recording sound noisy and distorted? I've noticed a couple of times that there seems to be a great deal of coughing, rustling and other unwanted noises during the (pianissimo) beginning. And while listening just now on my headphone system that is capable of hitting 150 dB without significant distortion, I heard what sure sounded like massive clipping at the end (fortissimo) of the piece. Could be hard-knee limiting, but it still ended up sounding fuzzy instead of punchy. It's a great tune, but it covers a wide range of volume. That's what boleros do. Seems like there should be a better recording to be had. *hint* hint* |
| Wimpy (Ohio USA) | Posted: Jul 08, 2007 - 05:09 OK that does it, I'm going back to bed... |
| oscar_driver (South Florida) | Posted: Jun 06, 2007 - 21:06 marzipanic wrote: This is why we need an 11...
Just basking in it. AGREE this is 11!!!! AMAZING ,,,, IF it's 8 is for a reason! Oscar |
| Larz0rz | Posted: Jun 06, 2007 - 21:06 It's over! Hurray!!!!! |
| marzipanic (St Paul, MN) | Posted: Jun 06, 2007 - 21:02 This is why we need an 11... Just basking in it. |
| zaknafein (Kansas City, MO) | Posted: Jun 06, 2007 - 20:58 This song reminds me of my time spent as a Horn player, playing single notes in odd patterns, such as you find in the background here. dat, datdatdat, datdatdatdatdatdatdatdat dat dat dat |
| bokey (Wastin' away in Filialdutyville) | Posted: Jun 06, 2007 - 20:56 To military sounding to me. |
| Larz0rz | Posted: Jun 06, 2007 - 20:53 jlind wrote: A little quiet, eh?
Yeah. For a min I thought it was "dead air" but then I thought "How could that be?" |
| Professor_C | Posted: May 06, 2007 - 11:39 drekar wrote: ** points to listener rating **
Yes, but I mean popular in the sense of popular to the masses. |
| drekar (Dallas.) | Posted: May 06, 2007 - 11:38 ** points to listener rating ** |
| drekar (Dallas.) | Posted: May 06, 2007 - 11:38 I. love. this. piece. |
| Professor_C | Posted: May 06, 2007 - 11:38 You know, I don't actually like RP's various forays into classical music. The classical stuff Bill chooses is very popular stuff, and generally very overplayed - very unlike the rest of the music on RP. |
| jlind (Chicago, IL) | Posted: May 06, 2007 - 11:30 A little quiet, eh? |
| Shaken_Bake (Mile High City (or is it just me?)) | Posted: Apr 04, 2007 - 22:01 jeff303 wrote: Johnny Cash, Gorillaz, and freakin Maurice Ravel in the same day?
...any states where it's legal to marry a radio station? 
I hope bigamy is allowed in this state as well! |
| ajlept (Athens, GA) | Posted: Apr 04, 2007 - 21:58 The original "Jam Band" piece. This following Pink Floyd's "Echos" after midnight. The "missionary" and other positions are getting a workout  My favorite.... |
| Euphemism (Jax, FL) | Posted: Apr 04, 2007 - 21:57 I love this, and all the different ways it can be 'felt' due solely to the way it's conducted. This one seems almost militant near the end, there are other recordings which are nearly orgasmic. |
| Agent510 (Oakland, CA) | Posted: Apr 04, 2007 - 21:54 This song is quite a ride from start to finish. Good call, RP. |
| jeff303 | Posted: Apr 04, 2007 - 21:47 Johnny Cash, Gorillaz, and freakin Maurice Ravel in the same day? ...any states where it's legal to marry a radio station? |
| biodiesel (Just West of Bar Nunn) | Posted: Mar 04, 2007 - 16:09 Ah! "Conan the Barbarian!"  |
| artmarcia (Derby, KS) | Posted: Mar 04, 2007 - 15:59 H-m-m-m A little Sunday Afternoon Delight?  |
| blueyedmerle (San Francisco) | Posted: Mar 04, 2007 - 15:58 ......delicate...deliberate....perfection..love it |
| chirpie (olathe, kansas) | Posted: Mar 04, 2007 - 15:53 Brilliant fade in from Pink Floyd! There is an art to the "flow". ^_^ |
| MiketheKnife (Virginia) | Posted: Feb 17, 2007 - 00:30 Love it- just not here. |
| algrif (Slightly west of Zero) | Posted: Feb 17, 2007 - 00:30 I understand that Ravel wrote this after a game with 7 strikes !!! Sorry. |
| jadewahoo (...to the sounds of creation.) | Posted: Feb 17, 2007 - 00:29 winter wrote: The only thing keeping me from rating this a 10 is the very end, which always sounds to me like someone turned a couple of bull elephants loose in the concert hall.
Wish they had... yawn. |
| Faterson (Slovakia) | Posted: Feb 21, 2006 - 03:24 fureanbode wrote: Torvill and Dean.
Now there's the ultimate video clip if there ever was one! |
| duilio (madrid) | Posted: Feb 19, 2006 - 22:35 Cookie wrote: At the risk of castigation, how about "Bolero" from Moulin Rouge? I should say MORENITA REY. Besame mucho. |
| godspeed (maui) | Posted: Feb 19, 2006 - 22:35 makes me think of Bo all over again...  |
| Cookie (Wichita, KS) | Posted: Feb 05, 2006 - 05:46 At the risk of castigation, how about "Bolero" from Moulin Rouge? |
| LadyLovelyLocks (Otherside of the Mirror UK) | Posted: Feb 05, 2006 - 05:31 Ok ... there was just no need.  |
| AliGator (Lost in Francelation) | Posted: Jan 21, 2006 - 14:07 Madeleine L'Engle, one of my favorite writers, wrote: One evening before dinner Bion puts on Ravel's Bolero. We manage not to groan. How many times have we heard it? It's been a favorite of his ever since he discovered music. I look at Mother and wonder if there is a flicker of remembrance about the evening in Paris when she and Father heard Bolero performed for the first time ever, anywhere. We are so familiar with its repetitive, hypnotic rhythm that it is impossible for me to imagine hearing it completely freshly. Mother said that after the last long mesmerizing note died away the audience sat silent, stunned, and then burst into roars of cheering.
From The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, one of my favorite books. I cannot hear Bolero without remembering this passage. |
| kazuma (Austin, TX) | Posted: Jan 21, 2006 - 13:59 jah_blessed wrote:     That graphic is so inappropriate. And yet it works in a mesmerizing fashion. I think you just busted my paradigm. |